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Abstract

This study investigated whether simulated darkness influences the affective appraisal of a desktop virtual environment (VE). In the real world darkness often evokes thoughts of vulnerability, threat, and danger, and may automatically precipitate emotional responses consonant with those thoughts (fear of darkness). This influences the affective appraisal of a given environment after dark and the way humans behave in that environment in conditions of low lighting. Desktop VEs are increasingly deployed to study the effects of environmental qualities and (architectural or lighting) interventions on human behaviour and feelings of safety. Their (ecological) validity for these purposes depends critically on their ability to correctly address the user’s cognitive and affective experience. However, it is currently not known how and to what extent simulated darkness in desktop (i.e., non-immersive) VEs affects the user’s affective appraisal of the represented environment. In this study young female volunteers explored either a daytime or a night-time version of a desktop VE representing a deserted prototypical Dutch polder landscape. The affective appraisal of the VE and the emotional response of the participants were measured through self-report. To enhance the personal relevance of the simulation, a fraction of the participants was led to believe that the virtual exploration tour would prepare them for a follow-up tour through the real world counterpart of the VE. The results show that the VE was appraised as slightly less pleasant and more arousing in simulated darkness (compared to a daylight) condition. The fictitious follow-up assignment had no emotional effects and did not influence the affective appraisal of the VE. Further research is required to assess on the validity of desktop VEs for both etiological (e.g., the effects of signs of darkness on navigation behaviour and fear of crime) and intervention (e.g., effects of street lighting on feelings of safety) research.

Additional Information

Competing Interests

Author Contributions

Joske M. Houtkamp conceived and designed the experiments, analyzed the data, contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools, wrote the paper, reviewed drafts of the paper.

Paul E. Vreugdenhil conceived and designed the experiments, performed the experiments, analyzed the data, contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools, wrote the paper, reviewed drafts of the paper.

Human Ethics

The following information was supplied relating to ethical approvals (i.e., approving body and any reference numbers):

The study protocol was approved by the TNO Research Ethics Committee, as confirmed in an approval letter d.d. January 2011.

Data Deposition

The following information was supplied regarding data availability:

Raw data

Funding

This research has been supported by the GATE project, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Netherlands ICT Research and Innovation Authority (ICT Regie). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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